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'It's his time': Tioga's Joe Robbins gets his shot with Cajuns

Tim Buckley, Gannett Louisiana
Published 11:22 a.m. CT Feb. 24, 2015

Former Tioga star Joe Robbins follows through during an at-bat against Northwestern State last week in Natchitoches. Robbins has started all seven of UL Lafayette's games this season.(Photo: Brad Kemp/RaginCajuns.com)

LAFAYETTE — It was around midnight on a recent February day when ex-UL Lafayette pitcher Austin Robichaux, now a minor-leaguer in the Los Angeles Angels system, poked his head into the Ragin' Cajuns' indoor practice facility.

"Joe was in there hitting," said Tony Robichaux, Austin's father and the Cajuns' head coach.

Joe Robbins, that is.

It was little surprise to Tony Robichaux.

While waiting two years for a spot in the Cajuns' regular lineup, Robbins has worked. And worked. And worked some more. Now the junior from Tioga is reaping the rewards, having started all seven of the 4-3 Cajuns' game this season — two at third base, and five in center field, including all three of last weekend's 2-1 series win over Stony Brook.

"It's his time," said Robichaux, whose club plays host to McNeese State on Tuesday night. "He sat for a long time, stayed behind an All-American for two years, and he kept working while he was waiting.

"When you work while you wait," the Cajuns coach added, "the game will pay you back."

Robbins, an Alexandria native who calls Pineville home, arrived in Lafayette as a shortstop. Unfortunately for him, Blake Trahan did the same.

Trahan has been the Cajuns' everyday shortstop the past two years, and last year he was named an ACBA/Rawlings first-team All-American and Baseball America and Perfect Game second-team All-American. He played all last summer for USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team, and he's on this year's Golden Spikes Award national watch list.

Robbins, however, doesn't begrudge Trahan his just due whatsoever.

Rather, he's simply bided his time.

"He's a guy that I think anybody in the dugout will tell you they're pulling for him," Robichaux said, "because he's worked so hard and he sat behind an All-American — and he sat behind an All-American with class."

Robbins played in only 18 games his freshman season, starting three. He appeared in just three games last season, then underwent Tommy John surgery.

After seeing how he fared in the fall, however, Robichaux figured he'd have to have a spot for him this season — even if it wasn't at his natural position at shortstop, a job Trahan has no intention of yielding.

"Knowing that Blake's at short — he's a great shortstop, obviously," Robbins said. "I mean, All-American.

"I believe myself that he's the best in the country, and he's really good at what he does. I wouldn't want to take that position from him.

"So," he added, "Coach is gonna put me where he wants me if I keep swinging the bat. He's gonna find a position for me, whether it be center field or third or anywhere that I can play and help the team out."

Heck, along with second baseman Brenn Conrad, Robbins is even one of the Cajuns' two emergency catchers behind Evan Powell and Nick Thurman.

He came out swinging the bat hot early, too, even though he wasn't totally thrilled with how it went during a season-opening series at Texas-San Antonio.

He's hitting .320 now, fourth-best among all Cajuns this season, and has a team-high two home runs, including one in front of friends and family in a non-conference win last Wednesday night at Northwestern State.

"I'm really just trying to focus on seeing the ball, seeing the ball well, reading it back into the zone," Robbins said before struggling a bit at 2-for-10 with one run scored in last weekend's series against Stony Brook. "The first weekend I was a little bit early, jumpy, so I'm really just trying to see if I can hit the ball center."

If Robbins can keep the bat consistent, he could force Robichaux to go the same route he did with ex-Cajun utilityman Ryan Leonards.

Leonards lost his job at shortstop, which ultimately was claimed by Trahan in 2013, but he kept himself in the lineup by doing so much right. He wound up getting selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 21st round of last year's Major League Baseball Draft.

"The way (Leonards) took the game was great," Robbins said.

"He'd come out there every day and he'd bust his butt every single day, whether it was third, second, or center field, left field. He was 'that guy' that we could put in the lineup and he would get the job done, so I hopefully I can fill those shoes."

Robichaux, who started playing Robbins in the outfield because the Cajuns have less depth there and more in the infield, sees the laces getting tied.

And he loves the kid's attitude.

"I mean, there's never knocking on my door wondering about anything," Robichaux said. "He sat, and waited and waited and waited and waited his time, and now he's got (it)."